Leverguns In Combat

Pete44ru · Post by **Pete44ru** » Sun May 24, 2015 6:04 pm

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FYI, the latest American Rifleman (June 2015) has an article starting on pp.50, w/pics of leverguns that were issued & used in combat.

The article covered the Winchester 94's issued to French WWI soldiers, and the Winchester 95's issued in Latvia, Poland, Finland, Russia, and M-95's sold to Cuba by Russia.

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Hook1948 · Post by **Hook1948** » Sun May 24, 2015 7:17 pm

Did t mention the Battle of Plevna and the Turk's Model 73s?

http://www.militaryrifles.com/Turkey/Pl ... Delay.html

2ndovc · Post by **2ndovc** » Sun May 24, 2015 7:57 pm

Don't forget Spain.

My '95 Russian contract has a Spainish Loyalist cartouche on the stock.

I also had for a time a model 94 with Canadian proof marks. Unlikely that it ever saw combat but
who knows.

jb

Joe S. · Post by **Joe S.** » Sun May 24, 2015 9:39 pm

I haven't seen the issue but the military used 94's to patrol the spruce forests on i think the western coast back during one of the WW's. Not really used for combat but the mounted patrol had them. They were dubbed spruce guns.

Ji in Hawaii · Post by **Ji in Hawaii** » Sun May 24, 2015 10:05 pm

Here's a couple stills I captured from an old documentary showing Brits preparing for an invasion by Nazi forces, shows some young home-guard Brit gals trained on how to handle a Savage model 99 which I'm guessing was a part of the lend/lease program.

wm · Post by wm » Sun May 24, 2015 10:25 pm

Years ago I read an article about LERPS in Viet Nam using a Marlin 444 as bunker buster........Used it to punch through sand bags and like. It did not make sense to me when they could use a M14/M1A1 or M1 Garand or Browning BAR with commonly available AP rounds but that was it said.

I recall reading about many Winchester 73, 92, and a smattering of 94 used by Filipino guerillas against the Japanese.

I'm sure there were a few used in Haiti, Mexico, and skirmishes further south by Police, Regular Army and Irregular forces of all sorts .

JohndeFresno · Post by **JohndeFresno** » Mon May 25, 2015 12:24 am

wm wrote:Years ago I read an article about LERPS in Viet Nam using a Marlin 444 as bunker buster........Used it to punch through sand bags and like. It did not make sense to me when they could use a M14/M1A1 or M1 Garand or Browning BAR with commonly available AP rounds...

WM, your information was based, I believe, on the Marlin 444 levergun carried by the legendary LRRP MSgt. Jerry "Mad Dog" Shriver, who is still MIA as I understand. As you stated, he had it imported to his unit so that he could use it to "bust bunkers" in Cambodia in his classified missions.

According to the article cited below, he was the only Special Ops soldier - or any soldier, I guess - who carried this firearm into combat in Southeast Asia. I would surmise that it was personal preference, but also its 7.5 lb weight (versus M1 Garand's 9.5 lbs.) might have figured in. The BAR would have been a monster to haul around at 16 lbs. empty.

See:
https://army.togetherweserved.com/army/ ... n&ID=68593

Canuck Bob · Post by **Canuck Bob** » Mon May 25, 2015 1:54 pm

Wow, my 444 has a military heritage!! Sad he remains a MIA.

CowboyTutt · Post by **CowboyTutt** » Mon May 25, 2015 4:33 pm

JohnDeFresno, that was a very good read and totally appropriate for Memorial Day. Thank you. -Tutt

Griff · Post by **Griff** » Mon May 25, 2015 5:13 pm

CowboyTutt wrote:JohnDeFresno, that was a very good read and totally appropriate for Memorial Day. Thank you. -Tutt

Ditto.

CowboyTutt · Post by **CowboyTutt** » Mon May 25, 2015 6:23 pm

Was really great to hear that the Winchester 73, 92, 94 and 95 as well as the Marlin 94 and Savage 99 played such a role in history! Thanks for such a good read you guys! -Tutt

RustyJr · Post by **RustyJr** » Mon May 25, 2015 7:54 pm

Thanks for posting that link. As others have said it was a good read. If anyone is interested in reading more about the LRRPs there is a series of books (three I think) called Six Silent Men that tells their story. It is a good read.

RustyJr

1894c · Post by **1894c** » Mon May 25, 2015 10:22 pm

links that show the relationship between Canada and the Winchester 94 during WWII...ehh... :)

http://www.rarewinchesters.com/gunroom/ ... le%201.pdf
http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2014 ... r-94-wwii/
http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_1_5/174723 ... _WW2_.html

Canuck Bob · Post by **Canuck Bob** » Mon May 25, 2015 11:55 pm

The Rangers still exist. Colt Canada is designing a new rifle but they continue to use Lee Enfields. The Lee Enfield is sturdy and handles the cold well.

http://www.army-armee.forces.gc.ca/en/c ... index.page

Ji in Hawaii · Post by **Ji in Hawaii** » Tue May 26, 2015 11:33 pm

MrMurphy · Post by **MrMurphy** » Wed May 27, 2015 12:58 am

During WW1 the Royal Navy had several thousand Winchester 92's in use for ship boarding parties and guard duty.

Apparently the sailor boys didn't particularly care for them as they were used to the considerably longer-ranged Lee-Enfields with clip loading (not single rounds), but for compartment-to-compartment action aboard a warship the 92 would certainly do well enough. For a shore party, having a bit more range would be nice.

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